Plant growth regulators

ABSTRACT

Plant growth compositions include a mixture of inert compounds and an active component combination of auxin, gibberellin and cytokinin. The plant growth compositions are auxin-dominant, and the ratio of cytokinin to auxin in the active component combination ranges from about 1:10.5 to about 1:4.5. The amount of cytokinin ranges from about 0.1 to 10 wt % by weight of the active component combination in plant growth compositions formulated for in-furrow application to corn plants. Methods of improving plant growth involve in-furrow, seed and/or foliar application of one or more plant types with a plant growth composition. Improvements in plant growth include increases in the average number of bushels produced per acre.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Implementations relate to plant growth regulator compositions andmethods of applying such compositions to plants. Particularimplementations include auxin-dominant compositions configured forenhancing the performance of corn, soybean, cotton, wheat and/or otherrow crops.

BACKGROUND

Improving plant growth and development is a major focus of theagricultural industry. One approach to achieving robust growth involvesapplying growth stimulants to seeds and young plants. These substancesmay include plant growth regulators (PGRs), which can comprisecombinations of plant hormones that promote cellular growth processeslike mitosis, and other substances including, for example,biostimulants, biologicals, and plant extracts. Unfortunately for plantgrowers, weather and soil conditions around the time of planting canhave severe, long-lasting effects on plant performance. Accordingly,improved PGR compositions are needed to improve plant growth regardlessof the conditions at the time of planting and beyond.

SUMMARY

Implementations provide a plant growth composition comprising a mixtureof inert compounds and an active component combination of an amount ofauxin, an amount of gibberellin, and an amount of cytokinin. The amountof auxin can be dominant in the active component combination, and theratio of cytokinin to auxin in the active component combination can beabout 1:10.5 to about 1:4.5. In some examples, the ratio of cytokinin togibberellin in the active component combination can be about 1:6 toabout 5:4. In some embodiments, the ratio of gibberellin to auxin in theactive component combination can be about 1:16 to about 3:5. The ratioof auxin to cytokinin and gibberellin together in the active componentcombination can be about 5:1 to about 3:2.

Implementations also provide a method of improving plant growth thatinvolves applying a growth composition to plants or parts thereof andgrowing the plants to at least a vegetative growth stage. The plantgrowth composition can include a mixture of inert compounds and anactive component combination of an amount of auxin, an amount ofgibberellin, and an amount of cytokinin. The amount of auxin can begreater than the amount of gibberellin, and the amount of gibberellincan be greater than the amount of cytokinin. The amount of cytokinin canbe 0.1 to 10 wt % by weight of the active component combination.

In some examples, the amount of cytokinin is about 3 to about 9 wt % byweight of the active component combination. In some embodiments, theamount of auxin is about 50 to about 70 wt % by weight of the activecomponent combination. In some examples, the amount of gibberellin isabout 30 to about 40 wt % by weight of the active component combination.In some embodiments, applying the growth composition comprises in-furrowand/or foliar application of the growth composition. In someembodiments, applying the growth composition comprises applying thegrowth composition to seeds of the plants. In some examples, the plantscomprise corn plants. Improving growth of the plants can compriseincreasing the number of plant bushels produced per acre relative tocontrol plants not treated with the growth composition.

Implementations provide a plant growth composition comprising a mixtureof inert compounds and an active component combination of an amount ofauxin, an amount of gibberellin, and an amount of cytokinin. The amountof auxin can be greater than the amount of gibberellin, the amount ofgibberellin can be less than the amount of cytokinin, and the amount ofcytokinin can be about 10 to about 20 wt % by weight of the activecomponent combination.

In some examples, the amount of auxin can be about 65 to about 80 wt %by weight of the active component combination. In some embodiments, theamount of gibberellin can be about 5 to about 15 wt % by weight of theactive component combination.

Additional or alternative implementations provide a method of improvingplant growth that involves applying a growth composition to plant seeds,plants or parts thereof and growing the plants to at least a vegetativegrowth stage. The growth composition can comprise a mixture of inertcompounds and an active component combination of an amount of auxin, anamount of gibberellin, and an amount of cytokinin. The amount of auxincan be greater than the amount of gibberellin, the amount of gibberellincan be less than the amount of cytokinin, and the amount of cytokinincan be about 10 to about 20 wt % by weight of the active componentcombination.

In some examples, the amount of auxin can be about 65 to about 80 wt %by weight of the active component combination. In some embodiments, theamount of gibberellin can be about 5 to about 15 wt % by weight of theactive component combination. In some examples, applying the growthcomposition can comprise in-furrow, seed and/or foliar application ofthe growth composition. In some embodiments, the plants can be soybeanplants, corn plants, or both.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method of improving plant growth performedin accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of another method of improving plant growthperformed in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a graphical representation of growth improvements achieved incorn plants grown in numerous locations in response to treating theplants using the growth regulator compositions disclosed in accordancewith embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is another graphical representation of growth improvementsachieved in corn plants grown in numerous locations in response totreating the plants using such growth regulator compositions disclosedherein.

FIG. 5 is another graphical representation of growth improvementsachieved in corn plants grown in numerous locations in response totreating the plants using such growth regulator compositions disclosedherein.

FIG. 6 is a graphical representation of growth improvements achieved insoybean plants using such growth regulator compositions disclosedherein.

FIG. 7 is a graphical representation of growth improvements achieved insoybean plants grown in numerous locations in response to treating thesoybean seeds using such growth regulator compositions disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The PGR compositions provided herein can promote plant growth anddevelopment, and may be configured for in-furrow, seed and/or foliarapplication. Particular PGR compositions can include distinct amounts ofactive components including auxin, one or more gibberellins (e.g.,gibberellic acid, GA₄ or GA₇) and/or cytokinin (e.g., kinetin), and maybe formulated to stimulate the growth of corn or soybean plants inresponse to in-furrow application and/or seed application. Thecompositions have been optimized for promoting plant growth byexperimentally assessing different ratios of PGR active componentsacross many locations and climates. Among other enhancements, thecompositions formulated in view of these experiments can improve plantresiliency, leading to consistent improvements in plant growthregardless of the environmental conditions at the time of planting.Implementations of the PGR compositions configured for in-furrow and/orseed application deviate from many preexisting PGR compositions by beingauxin-dominant and in some cases, including little to no cytokinin. Asused herein, “auxin-dominant” PGR compositions are compositions in whichauxin is present at the highest weight percentage relative to the otheractive components, such as gibberellin and cytokinin.

PGR Compositions

The compositions provided according to the present disclosure includevarious amounts of PGRs, which may include but are not limited to auxinssuch as indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), gibberellins such as gibberellicacid, GA₄ and/or GA₇, and cytokinins such as kinetin. The PGRs may beblended in various combinations, such that each PGR can be considered aPGR component, which can be further combined with additional components,such as one or more excipients, solvents and adjuvants. The PGRcompositions may be configured to stimulate specific plant growthprocesses, and even slight variations in a particular formulation mayhave a significant impact on plant performance. Example compositionsinclude moderate to high amounts of auxin and little to no cytokinin.

Auxin plant hormones are produced mainly in and around growing regionson plant shoots. Auxins typically move from the shoots and roots in thephloem, and more slowly by cell-to-cell polar transport. Example effectselicited by auxins include apical dominance, tropisms, shoot elongationand root initiation. Natural deficiencies of zinc and/or phosphorus mayinhibit auxin production in plants. Gibberellin plant hormones are alsoproduced in root tips, and can be found in seeds, young stems andleaves. Gibberellins move from roots to shoots in the xylem and fromleaves to shoots by cell-to-cell transport, promoting plant germinationand cell elongation. Gibberellin production in plant roots andgibberellin movement to plant shoots can be inhibited by flooding.Cytokinin plant hormones are produced primarily in root tips. Seeds,young stems and leaves also may contain high levels of cytokinins, whichare transported through the xylem from the roots to the shoots of aplant. Cytokinins promote cell division in shoot tissue, delay leafsenescence, and promote nodule development. Flooding, drought and hightemperatures can inhibit cytokinin production and transport.Accordingly, the PGR components disclosed herein supplement thesenatural plant hormones and may drive specific physiological processesand may be inhibited by specific environmental phenomena.

Each PGR composition disclosed herein can include an active componentcombination that includes an auxin, at least one gibberellin, and/or acytokinin. Of these three components, auxin may constitute the majorityof the active component combination, and cytokinin may constitute theminority component. By including moderate to high amounts of auxin andlow amounts of cytokinin, such compositions may differ from preexistingcompositions recommended for in-furrow, seed and/or foliar application,which often include moderate to high amounts of cytokinin, such asgreater than or approximately equal to 50 wt % of the total activecomponent load. The ratio of auxin to the other active components maydiffer based on plant or application type. For example, auxin-dominantcompositions in which cytokinin is the minority component may betailored specifically for corn plants and/or in-furrow applications,whereas alternative embodiments can also include an active componentcombination in which auxin is dominant but gibberellin constitutes theminority component. Such embodiments may be formulated specifically forsoybean plants and/or seed application.

Based on the weight of a given active component combination, specificexamples of the disclosed PGR compositions formulated primarily forin-furrow corn plant treatment can include auxin in amounts ranging fromabout 50 to about 90 wt %, about 52 to about 80 wt %, about 54 to about70 wt %, about 56 to about 65 wt %, about 58 to about 62 wt %, about 58wt %, about 59 wt %, about 60 wt %, or about 61 wt %. The amount ofgibberellin can range from about 10 to about 48 wt %, about 15 to about46 wt %, about 20 to about 44 wt %, about 25 to about 42 wt %, about 30to about 40 wt %, about 32 to about 38 wt %, about 34 to about 36 wt %,about 34 wt %, about 35 wt % or about 36 wt % based on the weight of theactive component combination. The amount of cytokinin can range fromabout 0 to about 15 wt %, about 1 to about 10 wt %, about 2 to about 8wt %, about 3 to about 7 wt %, about 4 to about 6 wt %, about 5 wt %, orabout 6 wt % based on the weight of the active component combination.Because it may inhibit plant growth under certain conditions, someembodiments may exclude cytokinin entirely. A specific embodimentconfigured for in-furrow corn plant treatment may include about 59 wt %auxin, about 35 wt % gibberellic acid, and about 6 wt % cytokinin, forinstance +/−2 wt %, based on the weight of the active componentcombination. The weight-for-weight percentage (wt %) of combined activecomponents relative to the overall PGR composition, including variousinert compounds, may range from about 0.1 to about 0.25 wt %, about 0.12to about 0.23 wt %, about 0.14 to about 0.21 wt %, about 0.16 to about0.19 wt %, about 0.17 to about 0.18 wt %, about 0.17 to about 0.175 wt%, or about 0.173 wt % in various examples.

Particular examples of the disclosed PGR compositions formulatedprimarily for seed application to soybean plants can include auxin inamounts ranging from about 50 to about 95 wt %, about 55 to about 90 wt%, about 60 to about 86 wt %, about 65 to about 82 wt %, about 70 toabout 78 wt %, about 72 to about 76 wt %, about 73 wt %, about 74 wt %,or about 75 wt %. The amount of gibberellin can range from about 1 toabout 20 wt %, about 3 to about 18 wt %, about 5 to about 16 wt %, about7 to about 14 wt %, about 9 to about 11 wt %, about 10 wt %, about 11 wt%, about 12 wt %, or about 13 wt % based on the weight of the activecomponent combination. The amount of cytokinin can range from about 0 toabout 30 wt %, about 0 to about 25 wt %, about 0 to about 20 wt %, about3 to about 19 wt %, about 6 to about 18 wt %, about 9 to about 17 wt %,about 12 wt % to about 16 wt %, about 10 wt %, about 11 wt %, about 12wt %, about 13 wt %, about 14 wt %, about 15 wt %, or about 16 wt %based on the weight of the active component combination. Because it mayinhibit plant growth under certain conditions, some embodiments mayexclude cytokinin entirely. A specific embodiment configured for soybeanseed treatment may include about 74 wt % auxin, about 10 wt %gibberellic acid, and about 16 wt % cytokinin, for instance +/−2 wt %,based on the weight of the active component combination. Anotherspecific embodiment configured primarily for soybean seed treatment mayinclude about 84 wt % auxin, about 5 wt % gibberellic acid, and about 11wt % cytokinin, for instance +/−2 wt %, based on the weight of theactive component combination. Another specific embodiment configuredprimarily for soybean seed treatment may include about 79 wt % auxin,about 5 wt % gibberellic acid, and about 16 wt % cytokinin, for instance+/−2 wt %, based on the weight of the active component combination.Another specific embodiment configured primarily for soybean seedtreatment may include about 68 wt % auxin, about 11 wt % gibberellicacid, and about 21 wt % cytokinin, for instance +/−2 wt %, based on theweight of the active component combination. Another specific embodimentconfigured primarily for soybean seed treatment may include about 63 wt% auxin, about 11 wt % gibberellic acid, and about 26 wt % cytokinin,for instance +/−2 wt %, based on the weight of the active componentcombination. Another specific embodiment configured primarily forsoybean seed treatment may include about 75 wt % auxin, about 12.5 wt %gibberellic acid, and about 12.5 wt % cytokinin, for instance +/−2 wt %,based on the weight of the active component combination. Anotherspecific embodiment configured primarily for soybean seed treatment mayinclude about 76 wt % auxin, about 12 wt % gibberellic acid, and about12 wt % cytokinin, for instance +/−2 wt %, based on the weight of theactive component combination. The weight-for-weight percentage ofcombined active components relative to the overall PGR composition,including a mixture of various inert compounds, may range from about 0.1to about 0.26 wt %, about 0.12 to about 0.24 wt %, about 0.14 to about0.22 wt %, about 0.16 to about 0.20 wt %, about 0.18 to about 0.20 wt %,or about 0.19 wt % in various examples.

Auxin may be dominant in the active component combination and the ratioof cytokinin to auxin may range from about 1:9 to about 1:10, about1:10.5 or about 1:11, or may be about 1:2, about 1:2.4, about 1:2.5,about 1:3, about 1:4, about 1:4.5, about 1:5 to about 1:9, about 1:10 orabout 1:10.5. The ratio of cytokinin to gibberellin may range from about1:5 to about 1:6, or may be about 5:4, or about 3:1, the ratio ofgibberellin to auxin may range from about 1:7 to about 1:16, or may beabout 3:5, and the ratio of auxin to cytokinin and gibberellin togethermay range from about 3:4 to about 5:1, or may be about 1:2, or about3:2. The aforementioned ratios may vary depending on whether a growthcomposition is being formulated for corn plants, soybean plants,in-furrow application, seed application and/or foliar application. Forexample, a growth composition formulated primarily for in-furrowapplication to corn plants, seeds and/or seedlings may include an activecomponent combination in which the ratio of cytokinin to auxin is about1:9, about 1:10, about 1:10.3 or about 1:11. The same growth compositionmay include a ratio of gibberellin to auxin of about 1:2, about 3:8,about 1:1.7 or about 2:3, and a ratio of cytokinin to gibberellin ofabout 1:5, about 1:6 or about 1:7. The ratio of auxin to cytokinin andgibberellin, together, may be about 3:2 or about 1:0.68. In someembodiments, one or more of the aforementioned ratios may also beutilized for treating soybean plants. The performance improvementscaused by the application of PGR compositions comprising one or more ofthe aforementioned ratios of PGR components may be highly sensitive. Forexample, a PGR composition in which the ratio of cytokinin to auxin is1:9 may perform significantly better than a PGR composition in which theratio of cytokinin to auxin is 1:10, 1:8, or 1:11, for instance. Theparticular ratios of PGR components may also be specific to thedisclosed PGR compositions, i.e., PGR compositions containing three PGRcomponents (auxin, gibberellin and cytokinin) or at least two PGRcomponents (auxin and gibberellin). As further described below, theprecise PGR formulations disclosed herein were discovered throughextensive experimentation conducted across a wide range of environmentalconditions.

A separate growth composition formulated primarily for seed applicationto soybean plants may include an active component combination in whichthe ratio of cytokinin to auxin is about 1:8, about 1:6, about 1:5,about 1:4, about 1:2.4, about 1:3, about 2:5, about 3:1, about 2:7,about 2:9, about 2:13 or about 1:4.7. The same growth composition caninclude a ratio of gibberellin to auxin of about 1:6, about 1:7, about1:9, about 1:10, about 1:16, about 1:15 or about 2:13, and a ratio ofcytokinin to gibberellin of about 3:2, about 2:1, about 3:1, about 3:1.2or about 1:0.7. The ratio of auxin to cytokinin and gibberellin,together, may be about 3:1, about 5:1, about 4:1, about 2:1 or about1:0.36. As noted above, the PGR component ratios may be highly sensitiveand specific to the disclosed PGR compositions, i.e., PGR compositionscontaining three PGR components (auxin, gibberellin and cytokinin) or atleast two PGR components (auxin and gibberellin).

While auxin, gibberellin, and cytokinin may be referenced herein, itshould be understood that such components embody classes of PGRcompounds, and that specific subtypes of each PGR component may beutilized in particular embodiments. For example, the auxin may compriseindole-3-butyric acid (IBA), the gibberellin may comprise gibberellicacid (GA₃), GA₄ and/or GA₇, and the cytokinin may comprise kinetin. Themore general class of each compound is often referenced herein forillustration purposes only, and should not be viewed as limiting.

The PGR compositions can further include one or more inert components orexcipients in the form of adjuvants, solvents and/or surfactants, whichmay be formulated to improve the effectiveness of the active componentsby acting as diluents and/or carrier substances, for example. Together,the inert components or excipients may constitute an inert composition.Non-aqueous embodiments of the inert composition may specificallyexclude water, which may be incompatible with or even detrimental to oneor more of the PGR components. Non-aqueous embodiments of the inertcomposition may thus be critical for maximizing the effectiveness of thespecific PGR components disclosed herein. Particular examples of theinert composition may exclude propylene glycol, along with one or moreadditional inert compounds. Alternative embodiments may includepropylene glycol, for example at a reduced volume relative topreexisting inert compositions. Additional embodiments may includewater, which may constitute a small portion, e.g., less than about 20 wt%, less than 10 wt %, between about 10 wt % and about 20 wt %, less than5 wt % or less than 1 wt %, of the inert composition. Together, theinert components may constitute the majority (by wt %) of the total PGRcomposition, ranging in some embodiments from about 85 to about 99.9 wt%, about 90 to about 99.8 wt %, about 95 to about 99.8 wt %, about 98 toabout 99.8 wt %, about 99 to about 99.7 wt %, about 99.5 to about 99.8wt %, or about 99.6 to about 99.7 wt % by weight of the PGR composition.

Methods of Formulation

Methods of formulating the PGR compositions described herein can involveconducting one or more mixture experiments and evaluating the resultingcompositions at various locations across different climates. In someexamples, a mixture experiment can be designed to systematicallyevaluate the growth effects caused by various ratios of activecomponents while maintaining the same total amount of the activecomponents included in a given PGR composition. Maintaining identicalactive component loads advantageously isolates the growth effects causedby specific combinations of active substances, such that the growthresponse exhibited by the plants treated with the active substances canbe attributed to the ratios of the individual PGR components instead ofthe total amount of the active component combination included in a PGRcomposition.

Embodiments may involve seeding, germinating and growing test plants andapplying various PGR compositions to separate batches of plant seeds oralternatively to separate groups of plants via in-furrow and/or foliarapplication. Plant seeds, e.g., corn seeds or soybean seeds, can beplanted in a growing medium, which may be deposited in a multicellularseedling tray. The planted seeds can be germinated in a controlledenvironment, which may be confined to a greenhouse or growth chamber.The conditions of the controlled environment may vary depending on seedtype or on a particular set of targeted conditions, such as drought,long daylight, short daylight, or heavy rain. In some examples, thecontrolled environment may comprise a temperature of about 25 to about35° C., about 27 to about 33° C., about 29 to about 31° C., or about 30°C. The humidity may also vary, ranging from about 45 to about 61%, about47 to about 59%, about 49 to about 57%, about 51 to about 55%, or about53%. An initial period of constant light, e.g., 24 hours, may be appliedto the planted seeds, which may be watered at consistent intervals,e.g., daily, to facilitate germination. Alternatively, the seeds can beplanted directly in an outdoor field plot at one or more locations,thereby subjecting the seeds, seedlings, and growing plants to naturalweather conditions throughout the growing process.

The nascent plants can be allowed to grow to various growth stages,e.g., the V6, V9, VT, R1 or R6 growth stage, or at least a vegetativegrowth stage, at which point the plants can be measured for growth anddevelopmental health. A vegetative growth stage can include a stage ofgrowth beyond germination, at which point the plants have a root systemcapable of supporting plant growth, which may be evidenced by stemand/or leaf development, for example. Improved plant growth, developmentand/or maturity can be determined by measuring any or all differences ingrowth and/or yield relative to untreated plants or plants treated withdifferent growth-promoting compositions. Measurements can be obtained ona per-plant basis or in the aggregate. Aggregate measurements caninclude bushels produced per acre, for instance. Indicators of cornplant growth, development and/or maturity acquired at later stages ofgrowth can include, for example, seed output and/or ear prolificacy. Themeasurements acquired may depend on the growth stage targeted forimprovement.

The methods of formulation and application described herein may belimited to one or more particular plant types, including but not limitedto corn (maize), soybeans, cotton, wheat, barley, alfalfa, and other rowcrops. Corn plants may include Zea mays hybrids, inbreds, haploids,subspecies and varieties. In some examples, one or more of theaforementioned plant types may be excluded from the methods disclosedherein.

The PGR compositions driving the most consistently improved growthacross a variety of environmental conditions can be identified.Environmental conditions can include warm weather, cold weather,drought, moderate to heavy rainfall, etc., and may be present at thetime of planting and/or throughout at least a portion of the growingprocess.

Methods of Use

Methods of improving plant growth can involve applying an aforementionedPGR composition to a plant seed, plant part, whole plant, and/or thesoil or other growth medium, e.g., vermiculite and/or one or morecommercial growth products, into which a seed is planted in an amountsufficient to increase plant growth, development and/or yield. The PGRcomposition utilized for a particular application may be formed bycombining the desired ratio of active components with one or moreadjuvants, excipients and/or other components disclosed herein in theamounts described.

The total amount of active components added per quart of the total PGRcomposition may vary, ranging from about 0.05 to about 0.2 dry ounces,about 0.05 to about 0.1 dry ounces, about 0.05 to about 0.08 dry ounces,about 0.05 to about 0.06 dry ounces, about 0.055 to about 0.059 dryounces, about 0.055 dry ounces, or about 0.059 dry ounces. The amount ofeach individual active component may also vary depending on the mode ofapplication. For seed and/or in-furrow application, the amount ofcytokinin may range from about 0 to about 0.04 dry ounces, about 0.004to about 0.02 dry ounces, about 0.008 to about 0.015 dry ounces, orabout 0.010 to about 0.012 dry ounces per quart of the total PGRcomposition. The amount of auxin may range from about 0.01 to about0.134 dry ounces, about 0.01 to about 0.05 dry ounces, about 0.011 toabout 0.04 dry ounces, about 0.011 to about 0.037 dry ounces, about0.0112 dry ounces, about 0.02 dry ounces, about 0.04 dry ounces, orabout 0.035 dry ounces per quart of the total PGR composition. Theamount of gibberellin, such as gibberellic acid, may range from about0.01 to about 0.134 dry ounces, about 0.01 to about 0.05 dry ounces,about 0.011 to about 0.04 dry ounces, about 0.011 to about 0.037 dryounces, about 0.0112 dry ounces, about 0.02 dry ounces, about 0.04 dryounces, or about 0.035 dry ounces per quart of the total PGRcomposition. For seed application, specifically, the amount of cytokininmay range from 0.02 to about 0.04 dry ounces, about 0.025 to about 0.035dry ounces, about 0.028 to about 0.033 dry ounces, or about 0.03 toabout 0.032 dry ounces per quart of the total PGR composition. Theamount of auxin may range from about 0 to about 0.02 dry ounces, about0.004 to about 0.016 dry ounces, about 0.008 to about 0.014 dry ounces,or about 0.010 to about 0.012 dry ounces per quart of the total PGRcomposition. The amount of gibberellin, e.g., gibberellic acid, mayrange from about 0.006 to about 0.026 dry ounces, about 0.01 to about0.02 dry ounces, about 0.01 to about 0.012 dry ounces, about 0.014 toabout 0.018 dry ounces, or about 0.015 to about 0.017 dry ounces perquart of the total PGR composition.

The PGR compositions can be utilized for seed treatment, in-furrowapplication and/or foliar application. For in-furrow application, a PGRcomposition can be applied to the growth medium, e.g., soil, into whichthe seed is planted. In-furrow application can be achieved using afurrow irrigation system delivering the PGR composition admixed withwater. In some examples, a PGR composition comprising an activecomponent combination that includes about 50 to about 90 wt % auxin,about 10 to about 48 wt % gibberellic acid, and about 0 to about 15 wt %cytokinin may be applied equally within each furrow of soil and/orgrowth medium into which each plant seed, e.g., corn seed, is sown. Seedor in-furrow application of the PGR composition may be performed priorto germination.

For seed application, a PGR composition can be applied to the plantseeds, for example via spraying, so that the seeds are completely orsubstantially coated with the PGR composition. The PGR composition maybe applied to seeds in production settings and then the seeds may beprovided to a planting site, or the plant growth composition may beapplied to the seeds at the planting site. In some examples, a PGRcomposition comprising an active component combination that includesabout 55 to about 90 wt % auxin, about 1 to about 20 wt % gibberellin,and about 0 to about 20 wt % cytokinin may be applied equally to eachplant seed.

For foliar application, a PGR composition can be applied directly to theleaves, stem and/or flowers of each growing plant. In some examples aPGR composition comprising an active component combination that includesabout 55 to about 90 wt % auxin, about 1 to about 20 wt % gibberellin,and about 0 to about 20 wt % cytokinin may be applied equally to eachplant. In some examples, foliar application of the PGR composition maybe employed at or before the V4 growth stage, only, while additionalembodiments may continue foliar application of the PGR composition afterthe V4 growth stage, for example throughout the V5, V6, V9, VT orRlgrowth stage.

Foliar and/or in-furrow applications can also involve spraying thetreatment seeds, seedlings, and/or growing plants with a PGRcomposition. Usage rates may vary depending on the application type andplant type. For example, about 4.7 to about 6.3 fl. oz. per acre may beused for in-furrow treatment of corn. For direct seed treatment, about1.05 to about 4.2 fl. oz. per hundredweight (cwt) may be used. Foliarapplication may involve applying about 10 mL of PGR solution to eachplant. The PGR composition can be applied at consistent intervals, e.g.,daily, or every 2 days, every 7 days, every 14 days, every 21 days, orany interval therebetween. In some embodiments, plants or plant parts,e.g., roots, may be submerged within an aqueous solution of a PGRcomposition for a certain period of time.

Improved plant performance achieved by applying the PGR compositionsdescribed herein may include increased seedling vigor, increased yieldresponse, increased plant height, increased root density, increasedplant biomass, and/or increased bushels per acre compared to preexistingPGR formulations. One performance improvement may be an increase in theaverage number of bushels/acre produced by plants treated with one ormore of the disclosed PGR compositions relative to the number ofbushels/acre produced by plants treated with one or more preexistinggrowth compositions. The per-acre increase in bushels produced may rangefrom about 1.5 to about 7.0. This effect may be observed across multiplelocations, including locations at which the average temperature at thetime of planting is at least 60° F. The particular performanceimprovements achieved may depend on a variety of factors. For example,plant seeds and/or seedlings treated with a PGR composition containinghigh amounts of auxin and gibberellic acid relative to cytokinin mayeventually exhibit increases in plant height, leaf turgidity and/or thenumber of plant bushels produced per acre relative to plants not treatedwith a disclosed growth composition. One or more of such improvementsmay be achieved early in plant development, for example at approximatelythe V4 growth stage, and may carry over throughout development.

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method of improving plant growth performedin accordance with principles of the present disclosure. The examplemethod 100 shows the steps that may be implemented, in any sequence, toimprove plant performance by applying a particular PGR composition. Inadditional examples, one or more of the steps shown in the method 100may be supplemented or omitted. For instance, in some examples, theimproved plant growth embodied at step 106 may be achieved prior to theplant reaching maturity.

In the embodiment shown, the method 100 begins at block 102 by “applyinga growth composition in-furrow to corn plants or parts thereof” Asdescribed in accordance with embodiments described herein, the growthcomposition may include a mixture of inert compounds and an activecomponent combination of an amount of auxin, an amount of gibberellin,and an amount of cytokinin. The amount of auxin may be greater than theamount of gibberellin, the amount of gibberellin may be greater than theamount of cytokinin, and the amount of cytokinin may range from about0.1 to 10 wt % by weight of the active component combination. In someexamples, the ratio of cytokinin to auxin in the active componentcombination ranges from about 1:10 to about 1:5, inclusive. The method100 continues at block 104 by “growing the corn plants to at least avegetative growth stage.” The method continues at block 106 by“improving growth of the corn plants by increasing the number of plantbushels produced per acre relative to corn plants not treated with thegrowth composition.”

FIG. 2 is another flow diagram of a method of improving plant growthperformed in accordance with principles of the present disclosure. Theexample method 200 shows the steps that may be implemented, in anysequence, to improve plant performance by applying a particular PGRcomposition. In additional examples, one or more of the steps shown inthe method 200 may be supplemented or omitted. For instance, in someexamples, the improved plant growth embodied at step 206 may be achievedprior to the plant reaching maturity, for example prior to the plantsreaching the R6 growth stage.

In the embodiment shown, the method 200 begins at block 202 by “applyinga growth composition to soybean seeds.” As described in accordance withembodiments described herein, the growth composition may include amixture of inert compounds and an active component combination of anamount of auxin, an amount of gibberellin, and an amount of cytokinin.The amount of auxin may be greater than the amount of gibberellin, theamount of gibberellin may be less than the amount of cytokinin, and theamount of cytokinin may range from about 10 to about 20 wt % by weightof the active component combination in some examples. The method 200continues at block 204 by “growing the soybean seeds into vegetativesoybean plants.” The method continues at block 206 by “improving growthof the soybean plants by increasing the number of plant bushels producedper acre relative to soybean plants not treated with the growthcomposition.”

The following experimental trials are for illustration purposes only,and should not be viewed as limiting.

EXAMPLES

Corn Plant Field Trials

The following field trials were conducted to evaluate the effects ofsingle, two- and three-way PGR component mixtures on corn plant growthresponsive to separate in-furrow and foliar applications. The PGRformulations included mixtures of an auxin (IBA), a cytokinin (kinetin)and/or gibberellin(s). The best-performing PGR formulations werecompared to each other and to preexisting PGR formulations to eventuallypinpoint the optimal combination of auxin, cytokinin and gibberellin(s)for improving corn plant performance.

Table 1 shows the proportion of cytokinin, auxin and gibberellinincluded in each of Treatments 1-9, the proportion of each activecomponent ranging from 0.0 to 0.67 and totaling 1.0. As shown,Treatments 1-4 were evaluated via foliar application to growing cornplants, and Treatments 5-9 were evaluated via in-furrow application tocorn seedlings. Notably, cytokinin constituted the smallest portion ofeach PGR formulation. The PGR formulations were either auxin-dominant,gibberellin-dominant, or contained equal proportions of auxin andgibberellin.

TABLE 1 Application Treatment Type CYK AUX GIB Active Blend 1 foliar0.20 0.60 0.20 3-way AUX dominant 2 foliar 0.33 0.55 0.12 3-way AUXdominant 3 foliar 0.24 0.64 0.12 3-way AUX dominant 4 foliar 0.14 0.740.12 3-way AUX dominant 5 in-furrow 0.00 0.67 0.33 2-way AUX-GIB 6in-furrow 0.00 0.33 0.67 2-way AUX-GIB 7 in-furrow 0.20 0.20 0.60 3-wayGIB dominant 8 in-furrow 0.07 0.46 0.47 3-way AUX-GIB 9 in-furrow 0.070.58 0.35 3-way AUX dominant

By separately treating different corn plants with the PGR compositionsrepresented in Table 1, the effects of various combinations of activePGR components were elucidated and compared to preexisting treatments ofAscend® SL or Ascend® Pro (each sold by Winfield® United). Ascend® SLincludes an active component combination comprised of about 0.090 wt %cytokinin (kinetin), about 0.030 wt % gibberellic acid, and about 0.045wt % auxin (indole-3-butyric acid) based on the weight of the overallPGR composition. Ascend® Pro includes an active component combinationcomprised of 0.090 wt % cytokinin (kinetin), about 0.030 wt %gibberellins (GA₄+GA₇), and about 0.045 wt % auxin (indole-3-butyricacid) based on the weight of the overall PGR composition. It wasdetermined that in-furrow treatment worked best to enhance plantperformance, and thus provided the most promising route for furtherevaluation.

The results of applying Treatments 5-9 in-furrow at 19 locations acrossthe Midwest are shown below in Table 2. Each treatment was providedconcurrently with OptiStart®/Local Pro (sold by Winfield® United).

TABLE 2 Mean Average Treatment Effect Locations Wins % Win Win P value 51.8 19 11 57.9 4.6 0.088 6 2.4 19 14 73.7 5.1 0.082 7 0.0 19 9 47.4 5.00.990 8 0.9 19 9 47.4 6.4 0.568 9 2.6 19 14 73.7 5.4 0.258

Table 2 shows that Treatments 6 and 9 caused the highest mean effect ofin-furrow experimental candidates based on the average number of bushelsproduced per acre by the plants in the study. Treatment 6 caused anaverage increase in the number of bushels produced per acre by +2.4relative to Ascend® SL, and Treatment 9 caused an average increase inthe number of bushels produced per acre by +2.6 relative to Ascend® SL.Win rates, defined by the number of locations at which the treatmentsresulted in improvements to plant performance relative to Ascend® SL,were over 70% for both Treatment 6 and Treatment 9. For the locations atwhich the test treatments outperformed Ascend® SL, the average marginalincrease in plant performance measured over 5 bushels/acre.

Treatments 6 and 9 were further evaluated by comparing the twoformulations head-to-head. Each treatment was applied in-furrow to cornplants concurrently with OptiStart®/Local Pro at 23 locations across theMidwest. As shown below in Table 3, Treatment 9 outperformed Treatment 6by producing more bushels per plant (+2.4) and by generating more wins(16 versus 12) and a greater win percentage (69.6%).

TABLE 3 Mean Average Treatment Effect Locations Wins % Win Win P value 60.0 23 12 52.2 7.1 0.994 9 2.4 23 16 69.6 6.7 0.237

Based on the aforementioned results, Treatment 9 was selected forfurther testing, this time relative to Ascend® Pro by applying thetreatments in-furrow to separate corn plants in 23 locations spreadacross North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota,Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. OptiStart®/Local Pro was againprovided concurrently with the treatments. The results are representedgraphically in FIG. 3 . Positive numbers on the map indicate locationsat which Treatment 9 outperformed Ascend® Pro, with the numbersrepresenting the average difference in bushels/acre produced at eachlocation. The piano chart on the right also shows the mean effect(bushels/acre) at each location. The 0 mark on the y-axis represents anequal effect between Treatment 9 and Ascend® Pro, such that the positivebars represent locations at which Treatment 9 outperformed Ascend® Pro.As shown in FIG. 3 , Treatment 9 outperformed Ascend® Pro about 70% ofthe time by an average of +6.7 bushels/acre, or in 16 of the 23locations used for testing. The mean effect across all locations was+2.4 bushels in favor of Treatment 9.

Treatment 9 was then evaluated in-furrow against Ascend Pro at 18locations spread across comparatively warmer locations in Nebraska,Kansas, Texas, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee,Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Theresults are shown in FIG. 4 , which like FIG. 3 , includes positivenumbers on the map at locations where Treatment 9 outperformed Ascend®Pro. The chart on the right again shows the mean effect (bushels/acre)at each location. As shown, Treatment 9 outperformed Ascend® Pro by anaverage of +2.3 bushels/acre across all locations, and in the 67% oflocations in which Treatment 9 outperformed Ascend® Pro, it did so by anaverage of +6.5 bushels/acre.

Similar field trials were performed again in exclusively warmenvironments to further determine the extent of corn plant performanceincreases caused by in-furrow application of Treatment 9 versus Ascend®Pro. To qualify as a warm environment, the temperature at each testingsite was at least 60° F. at the time of planting. As shown in the graphof FIG. 5 , Treatment 9 outperformed Ascend® Pro by an average of +2.9bushels/acre, and in the 10 of the 15 cases in which Treatment 9outperformed Ascend® Pro, it did so by an average of +6.5 bushels/acre.These results are consistent with the observation that Treatment 9 mayconsistently outperform Ascend® Pro in warm environments.

Soybean Plant Field Trials

The following field trials were conducted to evaluate the effects ofthree-way PGR component mixtures on soybean plant growth responsive toseed application. The PGR formulations included mixtures of an auxin(IBA), a cytokinin (kinetin) and gibberellin(s). The best-performing PGRformulations were compared to each other and to preexisting PGRformulations to eventually pinpoint the optimal combination of auxin,cytokinin and gibberellin(s) for improving soybean plant performance.

Novel Treatments 1 and 2 were evaluated against commercially availableproducts including Ascend® WSG, Warden® CX, Ascend® Pro and Ascend® SL(each sold by Winfield® United), by treating separate soybean seeds withone of each PGR composition, growing the plants to at least a vegetativegrowth stage, and counting the number of bushels produced per acre.Treatment 1 included an active component combination of 74 wt % auxin,14 wt % cytokinin and 12 wt % gibberellin. Treatment 2 included anactive component combination of 47 wt % gibberellin, 46 wt % auxin and 7wt % cytokinin.

As shown in FIG. 6 , seed application of Treatment 1 resulted in thegreatest number of bushels/acre, at 64.7, which constituted astatistically significant marginal increase in bushels/acre relative tothe other treatments. Warden® CX came in second by causing an averageproduction of 63.1 bushels/acre, followed by Treatment 2 and Warden® CX(62.8 bushels/acre).

Treatment 1 was then combined with Wardenx CX and the resultingcombination evaluated against Warden® CX, alone, at 16 locations acrossSouth Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indianaand Michigan. The results are shown in FIG. 7 . As shown, thecombination of Treatment 1 and Warden® CX outperformed Warden® CX by anaverage of +1.6 bushels/acre, outperforming Warden® CX in 62.5% of thelocations. At the locations where the combination of Treatment 1 andWarden® CX outperformed Warden® CX, the average marginal increase inbushels/acre measured +3.4. These data indicate that seed treatmentapplication of Treatment 1, alone or in combination with Warden® CX, maydrive a significant increase in the number of soybean bushels producedper acre compared to preexisting growth-promoting compositions.

As used herein, the term “about” modifying, for example, the quantity ofa component in a composition, concentration, and ranges thereof,employed in describing the embodiments of the disclosure, refers tovariation in the numerical quantity that can occur, for example, throughtypical measuring and handling procedures used for making compounds,compositions, concentrates or use formulations; through inadvertenterror in these procedures; through differences in the manufacture,source, or purity of starting materials or components used to carry outthe methods, and like proximate considerations. The term “about” alsoencompasses amounts that differ due to aging of a formulation with aparticular initial concentration or mixture, and amounts that differ dueto mixing or processing a formulation with a particular initialconcentration or mixture. Where modified by the term “about” the claimsappended hereto include equivalents to these quantities.

Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the foregoing description ofexample embodiments, various features are sometimes grouped together ina single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure andaiding in the understanding of one or more of the various aspects. Thesemethods of disclosure, however, are not to be interpreted as reflectingan intention that the claims require more features than are expresslyrecited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect,inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoingdisclosed embodiment, and each embodiment described herein may containmore than one inventive feature.

Although the present disclosure provides references to preferredembodiments, persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes maybe made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A plant growth composition comprising: a mixtureof inert compounds; and an active component combination of an amount ofauxin, an amount of gibberellin, and an amount of cytokinin, wherein theamount of auxin is dominant in the active component combination, andwherein a ratio of cytokinin to auxin in the active componentcombination is about 1:10.5 to 1:4.5.
 2. The composition of claim 1,wherein a ratio of cytokinin to gibberellin in the active componentcombination is about 1:5 to about 1:6.
 3. The composition of claim 1,wherein a ratio of gibberellin to auxin in the active componentcombination is about 1:16 to 3:5.
 4. The composition of claim 1, whereina ratio of auxin to cytokinin and gibberellin together in the activecomponent combination is about 5:1 to 3:2.
 5. A plant growth compositioncomprising: a mixture of inert compounds; and an active componentcombination of an amount of auxin, an amount of gibberellin, and anamount of cytokinin, wherein the amount of auxin is greater than theamount of gibberellin, wherein the amount of gibberellin is less thanthe amount of cytokinin, and wherein the amount of cytokinin is about 10to about 20 wt % by weight of the active component combination.
 6. Thecomposition of claim 5, wherein the amount of auxin is about 70 to about78 wt % by weight of the active component combination.
 7. Thecomposition of claim 5, wherein the amount of gibberellin is about 7 toabout 14 wt % by weight of the active component combination.